Hose coupling construction



J. C. SCHE LLIN ET AL HOSE COUPLING CONSTRUCTION Dec. 10, 1940.

Filed Aug. 4, 1940 Patented Dec. 1 0, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE2,224,610 HOSE COUPLING CONSTRUCTION Application August 4, 1940, SerialNo. 351,326

3 Claims.

The invention relates to hose couplings and more particularly to firehose couplings having projections or lugs adapted to be gripped by aspanner wrench for coupling and uncoupling sections of hose. i

Originally, practically all fire hose couplings were'provided withcylindrical projections called pin lugs, and among the several forms ofspanner wrenches used with pin lug couplings, those most common includethe eye type and the Tabor type. The eye type spanner wrench is merely abar curved to fit around a portion of the coupling and having a hole oreye at one end for fitting overthe pin lug.

The Tabor type spanner wrench has a curved head for fitting around aportion of the coupling, and said curved head is provided with a slotfor fitting overa pin lug. The main advantage of the Tabor spanner isthat it can be used 20 to tighten or loosen a coupling part withoutreversing the position of the wrench, as is required with the eye typespanner and with substantially all other types of spanners.

In recent years other forms of lugs forv fire hose couplings have beenintroduced, including curved or rounded ears extending longitudinally ofthe coupling. The major advantages of these ears are that they do notcatch on obstructions or corners when being dragged to a fire; do not 30cutthe hose when it is folded or rolled for storage or transportation;and provide safe hand grips for tightening or loosening the coupling byhand.

However, the eye spanner or Taborspanner 35 cannot be used with theserounded ears, be-

cause they require a special hook type spanner to engage behind the sideof the ear, and with other forms which are variations of the muded earsother forms of special spanners are required.

Consequently, if a fire department adopts one of the various forms ofrounded ear lugs as standard, they must necessarily adopt a span- 45 nerwrench to fit the same and discard all other types of wrenches, becausethere is no time to search for the right spanner at the scene of a fireand precious time is lost if a spanner which does not fit is picked upin a hurry.

50 However, some fire departments insist on using one certain type ofspanner wrench, as for instance the Tabor spanner, because of itsability to turn the coupling in opposite directions without reversingthe wrench. This necessitates 55 using. pin lug couplings, andconsequently these fire departments do not and cannot obtain theadvantages of the rounded cars.

We have invented a novel coupling lug construction which obtains all theadvantages of the rounded ear type of lug, and in addition, is adaptedfor use with practically all common types of spanner wrenches includingthe eye type, the Tabor'type, and the hook type.

Accordingly, the objects of the present invention include the provisionof a hose coupling having spanner lugs which will not catch onobstructions or cut the hose, and with which practically all known kindsof spanner wrenches can be used.

Other objects include the provision of means for guiding the head of thespanner wrench into operative position, and for aiding in preventing itfrom slipping out of position.

Further objects include the provision of hose coupling lugs which areadapted safely to be used as hand grips when desired.

Still further objects include the provision of a lug construction whichis simple and economical to manufacture, and strong and durable overlong periods of use.

These and other objects-are accomplished by the improvements comprisingthe present invention'which is disclosed and described herein anddefined in the appended claims, and which may be generally stated asincluding a pin lug having rounded guards spaced longitudinallytherefrom at longitudinally opposite ends thereof.

Referring to the drawing in which preferred embodiments of the inventionare shown by, way of example, j

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the improved hose couplingconstruction showing the novel lug construction in side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view thereof; 40

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation similar to Fig. 1showing the proved lug construction on one of the end memb s;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectionalview as on line 44, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentaryview similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified .formof lug construction;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspectiveviewof the improved hose couplingconstruction, showing the manner of using a hookspanner thereon;

Fig. a similar view showing the manner of using an eye spanner; and

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the manner of using a Tabor spanner..55

Similar. numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views ofthe drawing.

In the drawing the coupling shown is of usual construction except forthe wrench lugs, and includes the center swivel member III which isjournaled or swiveled on the end member H in a well known manner. Theswivel member ID has the usual internal threads for receivinz theexternal threads l2 of the other end member I3. As shown, a hose sectionI4 is attached to end member II and a hose section II is attached to endmember l3 in a usual manner.

The swivel member l0 and end member l3 are each provided withdiametrically opposite circular wrench receiving lugs projectingradially outward therefrom, and as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 thesecircular lugs may be cylindrical lugs l6 and |6a similar to the ordinarypin lug. Rounded guard projections l1 and Na are provided atlongitudinally opposite ends of the pin lugs l6 and |6a respectively,and the guard lug projections extend longitudinally of the coupling andare spaced from the circular lugs.

Preferably, the guard projections I1 have a maximum height at theirinner ends substantially equal to or slightly less than the height ofthe lug l6, and are rounded gradually longitudinally downward toward theswivel member l0 and terminate at the ends thereof.

Likewise, the guard projections ||a have their. maximum height at theirinner ends substantially equal to or slightly less than the height oflug Na, and are rounded gradually longitudinally downward toward the endmember l3 and terminate at the ends thereof.

The guard projections I1 and l la preferably have their top surfacesslightly transversely rounded as shown at IS in Fig. 4, and the cornersl9 between the top surfaces and side surfaces of the projections arealso preferably rounded. As best shown in Fig. 3, the top edge of thecircular lugs |6 and |6a is slightly rounded, and the edges of the guardprojections I1 and Ila have their inner comers adjacent to the circularlugs rounded as indicated at 20 and their vertical surfaces adjacent thelug rounded convexly as shown at l1 and Ha.

Thus the circular lugs IS with their adjacent guards |'l andf thecircular lugs Ilia. with their adjacent guards lla provide in effectrounded ears extending longitudinally substantially the full length ofthe swivel and the end member l3 respectively, so that when the hosesections are pulled to and from a fire the rounded guards and lugs willride over obstructions such as railroad tracks, curbings, ties orstairways without catching on the same.

In the-modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 5, the guard lugprojections "b are identical with the guard lugs Na in the form of theinvention shown in Figs. 1,. 2, 3 and 4, but the circular lug 2| betweenthe guard projections is substantially ball-shaped and at its base whereit joins the coupling member I3 is provided a circular recess or groove22. The guard projections l'lb are spaced longitudinally from theballshaped lug 2| in the same way that the guards lla are spacedlongitudinally from the pin lugs l6a. Obviously, a ball-shaped lug like2| can be substituted for the pin lug I6 on the swivel member l0.

Due to the fact that the spaces or slots between the circular lugs andthe guard projections are formed by convexly round walls on both thecircular lug and guards, said spaces or slots will not catch and retainany material amount of ice or other foreign material to impair theoperability of a spanner wrench used with said lugs.

In both forms of the improved lug construction the guard projections l1and Ila or IIb protect the cylindric lugs l6 and |6a or the ballshapedlugs 2| and permit the coupling to slide or glide over obstructions likea sled-runner, and at the same time thes'uards protect the pin lugs orball-shaped lugs from breaking off or wearing down to any substantialextent.

The protection afforded by the guard projections also prevents the pinlug from becoming burred to form sharp edges which'seriously damage thehose when it is folded or rolled for transportation. Such sharp burrsare also dangerous in that they cut the hands if the lugs are used ashand grips when the couplings are tightened or loosened by hand. I

The pin lug with its longitudinally rounded projections provides arelatively large area for use as a hand grip, and since the outer edgeof the pin lug is rounded and the-longitudinal edges of the guardprojections are also rounded, there .is no danger of cutting the handswhen the coupling is manipulated by hand. The same applies to theball-shaped lug with the rounded guard projections, and thecircular-recess or groove 22 on the ball-shaped lug affords an evenbetter hand grip than the pin lug,'without any danger of sharp edgescutting the hands.

In the case of the ball-shaped lug with the rounded guards shown in Fig.5, the protection of the rounded guards makes it possible to undercutthe ball-shaped pin and form the circular groove or recess 22 at itsbase; without the risk of the recess weakening the lug to the extentthat it might be broken off due to a sharp blow or impact.

In Figs.;6, 7 and 8 the manner'of using three different types of spannerwrenches with the improved lug construction is illustrated. In Fig. 6 anordinary hook type spanner 23 is shown engaging the pin lug lie. on theend member I3. This type of spanner is adapted primarily for engagingthe side of a rounded ear type lug, but also may be provided at itsfront end with a slightly concave portion for engaging the old thewrench is brought into operative position, the guard projections IT or"a will act as guides to position the end of the wrench in engagementwith the pin, and after the wrench is positioned as shownin Fig. 6 theguard projections H or lla function to prevent lateral slipping of theend of the wrench.

Obviously, the spanner wrench 23 is equallywell adapted to engage theball-shaped lug in the modified construction of Fig. 5, and the circularrecess 22 thereof afiords an even better wrench gripping surface thanthat obtained with the ball type lug 70 tion and hold the end of thewrench in engagement with the pin l6 or vIlia or the ball-shaped In Fig.8 a Tabor type spanner Wrench 25 is shown with one end of the slot inits arcuate head fitting over and engaging the pin lug Ila on thecoupling end member I3. Obviously this spanner is also equally well oreven better adapted for fitting over and engaging the ball type lug II,and the guard projections II or Ila act to guide the wrench to operativeposition.

It is apparent that practically all other types of spanner wrenches,which are designed to fit variations of pin lugs and rounded ear lugs,can be used with the present improved lug construction similarly to thethree spanner wrenches illustrated and described.

Accordingly, the present novel lug construction combines all theadvantages of the rounded ear lug and the pin lug, and is adapted foruse with practically all common types 01' spanner wrenches.

Further, the novel lug construction has means for guiding the wrenchinto operative position and provides a safe and effective hand .grip.

We claim:

1. A hose coupling member having a circular wrench receiving lugprojecting radially outward therefrom, and rounded guard lug projec- Itions positioned on said coupling member on longitudinally oppositesides of said circular lug and spaced therefrom for preventing saidcircular lug from catching on obstructions.

2. A hose coupling member having a circular wrench receiving lugprojecting radially outward therefrom, and longitudinally rounded guardlug projections positioned on said coupling member on longitudinallyopposite sides of said lugs and spaced therefrom, said guard lugprojections being substantially the height of said circular lug at theirnear ends and tapering gradually therefrom toward the coupling member.

3. A hose coupling member having a circular wrench receiving lugprojecting radiallyoutward therefrom, said lug being substantiallyballshaped with a groove adjacent its base, and rounded guard lugprojections positioned on said coupling member on longitudinallyopposite .sides

